FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU women's basketball team (16-6, 5-0 ASUN) topped 90 points for the third time this season in a dominating 50-point win over USC Upstate (8-12, 1-4 ASUN). The Eagles' 93-43 victory extends their win streak to 10. The outcome means that the Green and Blue remain undefeated at home and in league play this season. The game also marks FGCU's 150th conference win since joining the ASUN in 2007.
 
The Eagles have now won 42-straight regular season ASUN contests, with their last loss taking place on Feb. 1, 2014 against Northern Kentucky. As it stands, FGCU is just two wins away from tying its all-time record of 44 consecutive conference victories. The only team in the nation with a longer active streak is the UConn Huskies.
 
After allowing 18 points in the first seven minutes of the game, the Eagles gave up only 19 to the Spartans over the next 28 minutes before subbing out their starters.
 
"In the first quarter, I thought USC Upstate came out really strong," said head coach Karl Smesko. "They were getting some easy baskets on us. They were running their offense really well. Fortunately, we were scoring as well. Erica (Nelson) had a really big first quarter for us when we were trading baskets. She was hitting some threes and getting to the rim, getting some and ones, and really she was kind of what separated us in the first quarter."
 
"I thought the second quarter was pretty even back and forth. Fortunately, they missed some shots that they made in the first quarter, but in the third quarter we came out and made some defensive plays, got a lot of layups in conversion. That's kind of where the game got separated – in the first few minutes of the third quarter. I thought (Taylor) Gradinjan played a really good game. Tytionia Adderly did a great job on the boards. I thought Jordin (Alexander) did a great job on the boards. So a lot of people contributed, and that's what we were looking for."
 
Nelson (Lee's Summit, Mo./Lee Summit North HS/Johnson County CC) led the team with 18 points, 10 of which came from the first five minutes of play. Her hot start opened up the floor for others as the game went on. In total, five Eagles reached double-figure scores, while 12 different players scored a basket.
 
With 13 three-pointers on the night, FGCU has reached double-digit makes for the 15th time this season. Gradinjan (Cudahy, Wis./Cudahy HS) and Tayler Goodall (Columbus, Ind./Columbus HS)  combined for nearly half of the Eagles treys with three each. The Eagles have knocked down 222 triples on the season, second most in the NCAA behind Washington, which has made 225. FGCU's 10.1 three-pointers per game ranks fifth, nationally.
 
While FGCU posted impressive numbers from a scoring perspective, its much improved rebounding made the biggest difference in the game. The Eagles shattered their previous season-high of 48 boards, pulling down a total of 62, which sets an Division I program record and ties FGCU's all-time record.
 
The Green and Blue also set season records with 21 offensive rebounds that they converted into 17 second-chance points.
 
Adderly (Jupiter, Fla./Cardinal Newman) led the Eagles on the boards with 13 rebounds. Four other players collected more than five boards, while 12 out of 13 who saw game action snagged at least one.
 
Nelson got the Eagles off to a quick start with back-to-back threes. The junior guard continued to roll with 10 points in the first five minutes of action. Although the offense seemed to score at will, FGCU struggled to stop the Spartans defensively, as Upstate's Raven Jefferson and Riley Popplewell combined for eight quick points. The teams exchanged baskets through the first seven minutes of play, until FGCU finish out the first quarter with a 13-0 run.
 
The Eagles' streak continued into the second quarter with five straight points. Finally after a nine minute scoring drought, USC Upstate sank a three. With the Eagles leading 37-21, the teams split the next eight points. A jumper from Gradinjan ended the half at 45-27.
 
When play resumed, FGCU buckled down on defense, forcing three turnovers in the first two minutes of the quarter. After layups from Adderly and Rosemarie Julien (Port St. Lucie, Fla./Treasure Coast HS/Chipola College), the Eagles increased their lead to 25 with a three-pointer from Alexander (Fisher, Ind./ Hamilton Southeastern HS/Brown). After a Spartans layup, FGCU finished out the quarter on a 9-0 run, widening the scoring gap to 36. 
 
Goodall started the fourth quarter for the Eagles and immediately knocked down three threes in two minutes. With a 45-point lead, the Eagles subbed out their starters. Layups from Sydnei McCaskill (Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips), Nasrin Ulel (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta HS) and Mikala McGhee (St. Louis, Mo./Pattonville HS/George Mason/Missouri State) meant 12 would sink shots on the night. Ulel added FGCU's 13th three-pointer, giving the Eagles a 50-point lead as time expired.
 
UP NEXT
FGCU will battle for the number one spot in the conference when Jacksonville makes its way to southwest Florida on Saturday Jan. 28. The preseason conference favorites own a 16-4 record on the season and, like the Eagles, remain undefeated in conference play. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 PM. Purchase your tickets online at FGCUTickets.com or by calling the university's ticket office at 239-590-7145.
 
SMESKO
Head coach Karl Smesko earned his sixth-consecutive ASUN Coach of the Year award with a successful 2015-16 campaign and was named the espnW Mid-Major Coach of the Year. Under his direction, the team has compiled two-straight 30-win seasons with four perfect ASUN regular-season slates in the last five years. The team earned its first top-25 ranking and a third NCAA Tournament appearance as a seven seed in 2014-15 where FGCU won its first ever DI NCAA Tournament game against No. 10 Oklahoma State. With 30 wins and counting this year, Smesko has guided the Eagles to 12-straight 20 win seasons.  He maintains a record of 395-79 at FGCU for a win percentage of 83.3 with a mark of 150-13 (92.0 W%) in ASUN contests and has led the team to an 86-1 (98.9) record in conference play in the last five seasons.  The six-time ASUN Coach of the Year earned his 400th career win in 2014-15 in just 493 career games, two games faster than UConn's Geno Auriemma, and holds a career record of 456-106 (81.1 W%).  Smesko ranks among an elite list of just four active Division I coaches with a career win percentage of .800 or higher, joining Auriemma, Baylor's Kim Mulkey and Stanford's Tara VanDerveer in the esteemed group.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.